History Drag cars in motion.......picture thread.

You must be talking about this guy.... Gary Gabelich
Photo by Leonard Maxwell
Courtesy of Bob Plumer and Drag Race Memories
found here: http://www.draglist.com/artman/publish/daily_pictures/article_001662.shtml
"Gary Gabelich was like no other racer in history. He gave up a job with Rockwell and astronaut training for go drag racing. Here "The Plume" is in the Purple Gang dragster and his helmet and plume match the car!"


And here's George Hutcheson and his plume found here:
http://wediditforlove.com/SAM.html

 

The dragster that Hutscheson is seen being pushed in would later become the famed Stone Age Man top fueler. Also, the photo of George holding his Trojan hemit was at San Fernando. It the back ground is Tex Collins Allison powered Mack Truck

 

Great pics novadude!

 

More about George: again from here:http://wediditforlove.com/SAM.html
George let Bill Carter make a couple of passes in the car at San Fernando. It's obvious the Bill was a tad too big for the cockpit as his helmet is a good 8" above the roll bar.


In 1968 the Mistrial became the full bodied "Stone Age Man". This was taken at Orange County International Raceway. George in the cockpit and his brother Jack (his manager) with his foot on the tire. The camera mount over the Hemi of the Stone Age Man was for filming a Pepsi commercial, 'The Pepsi Generation Ad'.

At any raceway there was never any lack of help. The Stone Age Man welcomed all fans to help out and ride in spirit with George down the track.

The Stone Age Man at the ready for another round at San Fernando Raceway. This is the first paint job by Bill Carter. Later he painted it to all red roses and pearl white trim.

Qualifying run at Lions Raceway. "A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty Hi-yo Silver, away! The Lone Ranger rides again!"

Loaded up on the long trailer, another victory in the record books at San Fernando.

Irwindale Raceway. George had just left the line. Down the track we all could see that George was in trouble. The valve covers had blown and George got a hot oil bath and couldn't see. The Stone Age Man slid sideways off the track into the dirt. George's exceptional driving skills kept him from rolling his car. We all piled into the push vehicle and raced to the crash site. I was terrified that George was hurt. The rushing wind pushed my tears into my hair as I hung on. At the other end George was walking around inspecting the damage.

(On the far left is (the late) Don Green, owner of the Rat Trap AA/FA, on the far right in white T-shirt dark jeans is me, Todd Hutcheson.)
George was visibly upset, physically unhurt, he reached out and put his hand on the engine injector of the Stone Age Man car. "I'm sorry baby, I'm sorry…" he said softly.

Weeks later the Stone Age Man AA/FD was cleaned up and repaired. George never crashed her again. My friend, my hero, my uncle…

Qualifying run at San Fernando Raceway.

 

After George quit racing the dragster was donated to Ventura College where it was displayed in the auto shop for many years. Here is how it looked while there. It was reclaimed a few years ago and is now fully restored. there is a great book that tells the whole story.

 

How it looks today.....

 

that is too cool

 

Thanks for the "Paul Harvey" moment Kiwi Kev,,
Realy cool story, too bad we dont know what happened to his 'plume',,

 

Oh wait, I think I found out what happened to his plume......>>>>>>>
The quintessential image of George Hutcheson, the Stone Age Man was taken by an English photographer for European publications. The Stone Age Man race car was taken to Mulholland Drive near Los Angeles. The photographer asked George to make the header flames taller to get a better picture. George added more alcohol to the mix and cranked it up. The red ostrich plumes on Hutch's helmet caught fire and photographic history was made. Jean-Claude Killy, French alpine skier and a triple Olympic champion, saw the photograph and flew from Switzerland to Lions Drag Strip just to meet George Hutcheson the Stone Age Man, and have his picture taken with him.

 

Found more shots of George,,

George in the 'Ed Pink Racing Engine' T-shirt with the Don Green Rat Trap AA/FA family. "Great friends and wonderful family, I loved driving the Rat Trap for Don." George would say. The late Don Green helped George with all his rides, Stone Age Man, Fling Traylor's US Turbine 1.

OCIR smoking it off the line, the thundering ground shaking Rat Trap. Sometimes George would drive both his Stone Age Man AA/FD and the Rat Trap at the same race qualifying both.

The late Don Green (in the pic above on the left in all black) said to George before he climbed in the Rat Trap AA/FA for the first time, "Careful, it can get a little squirrelly at first, think you can handle it?" George replied "Watch me!" - AA/FA, all engine, barely controllable, hell of a ride.

George in the Rat Trap on the left with another hole shot, first out of the gate at San Fernando Raceway.

"There he is, the Stone Age Man!" the kids would scream to their dads sitting in the stands. At San Fernando Raceway, as at all the tracks, George was easy to spot.

Those of you who may want to read more about George, go here, it is a kick to read about him for sure: http://wediditforlove.com/Taming.html

 

Two different versions of this one:

 

Found 3 more pics of the Keeling & Clayton T/F car in my files...

 

Is he checkin the tire pressure or all the scattered parts hanging under the car

 

Joe Winter AKA The Swinger. Winter was diagnosed with cancer while still racing heavily. He lost a leg to cancer but continued to pilot his machines with modifications included to accomodate the loss of the limb. Guy raced on a real tight budget. Both he and Frank Pedregon teamed up for a while.